Agency says two-headed snake may go to educational facility

This Sept. 20, 2018 photo provided by the Wildlife Center of Virginia shows a two-headed Eastern Copperhead snake at the center in Waynesboro, Va. The center says the snake was found in a northern Virginia neighborhood. (Wildlife Center of Virginia via AP)

Agency says two-headed snake may go to educational facility

This Sept. 20, 2018 photo provided by the Wildlife Center of Virginia shows a two-headed Eastern Copperhead snake at the center in Waynesboro, Va. The center says the snake was found in a northern Virginia neighborhood. (Wildlife Center of Virginia via AP)

WAYNESBORO, Va. — A wildlife and conservation research hospital says a two-headed snake recently found near the nation’s capital may be sent to an educational facility.

The Wildlife Center of Virginia says the two-headed Eastern Copperhead was found in a northern Virginia neighborhood last week. It says a state herpetologist brought the snake to the hospital Thursday for an examination.

A hospital release says the two heads were found to have two tracheas and two esophagi, but share one heart and set of lungs. The Charlotte Observer reports state biologists believe both heads are capable of biting and distributing venom.

State herpetologist J.D. Kleopfer says in a Facebook post that two-headed snakes are extremely rare because “they just don’t live that long.” He says he hopes to donate the snake to a zoo.